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“You may,” he replied.
“Thank you,” I said gratefully and turned my eyes back to the crowd. A pair of hazel eyes met mine and I realized it was the woman in the purple dress I’d noticed before. They seemed hateful and vengeful, just like they had been when I’d first seen her, and I didn’t know why. She didn’t seem familiar, so I was at a loss as to why she had taken an instant dislike to me. At once, I felt uncomfortable. I raised my hand and gestured for Maria to come closer while the king was distracted talking to Angelo.
“Who is the woman on the far right in the purple dress?” I asked as quietly as I could once she brushed against my side.
“That is the Duchessa Amara D’Marco,” she answered simply.
“She doesn’t seem to like me very much,” I whispered cautiously.
“She was being considered to wed the king, having an old royal bloodline that would forge a number of alliances as a result of their union. With your presence though, her seat as queen has been threatened,” she explained.
“Are you sure?” I replied. “She doesn’t have anything to do with the king’s cousin, Vincenzo, right?” I actively ignored the mention of marriage because it was too much for me to even consider right now.
“Not that I know of, Miss Isabella.”
I’d have to be wary of the duchessa all the same.
The plates were cleared again, and small bowls of dessert were brought out on tiny silver trays. I picked up a spoon and scooped a small bite of what appeared to be gelato. I pressed my tongue to the roof of my mouth and enjoyed the fresh fruity flavor of lemons and raspberries that burst over my palate. With the delivery of the dessert came a small envoy of acrobats down the walkway, twirling and somersaulting as the crowd clapped with enchantment. In the corner of the room, a band started to play music and a concert of musical sounds reverberated through the room.
The acrobats started to dance, twisting their bodies back and forth farther than I could ever imagine being able to do myself. It was marvelous to watch and before I knew it, the act was over, and the room broke out in applause. I joined in with them, thoroughly enjoying myself. A number of other acts of entertainment were brought in, including professional dancers and even a magician that made doves appear from the fiery light of a small candle. After it was all over, the king stood up again and a hus
h fell over everyone in the room. Even the clink of silver goblets against the table went silent.
I gazed up at Matteo, taking note of his confident stance and the way his aura had turned to one of expectant power. He owned every bit of that room and he knew it. I didn’t want to admit it but seeing him like this made me want him even more.
“My court, I have someone very special I’d like to introduce you to today,” he began carefully and the few whispers that remained quieted. All the attention was turned to him completely, even the hard eyes of the duchessa and that felt like a relief.
“This is my concubine, Isabella De Luca. She will be on my arm this night and I expect you all will give her a royal welcome,” he roared, and the crowd whooped with their approval.
My lips tightened at his words. He hadn’t warned me that he was going to introduce me that way. Even so, I hadn’t expected the annoyance I felt at essentially being called his whore in front of everyone. I turned away, unwilling to look at the court, trying to handle my feelings and utterly failing in reining them in.
Matteo said a number of other things, but I heard none of it. I gestured toward Maria and asked her where the restroom was, and quietly excused myself after she offered to lead me. I didn’t tell her that his words bothered me, and she didn’t ask. Instead, she just led me down a short hall and indicated where the ladies’ room was. After a moment, she offered to help me with my dress and I shook my head. I could manage and thanked her for the offer.
To be honest, I just wanted a short while to myself. I used the restroom, careful of my gown. After I was finished, I washed my hands and dried them off in a plush towel that was handed to me by a quiet unassuming maid in the corner.
I took a deep breath and pressed my hand against my belly, feeling the iron steel rods that composed the bodice of my dress. I had grown accustomed to them, even liked them. They felt like a fierce hug around my waist. After several more minutes, the maid whispered something, and I lifted my head at the unexpected sound.
“You look beautiful, my lady,” she said, and I smiled in her direction.
“Thank you,” I replied gratefully.
“Whatever is bothering you, I’m sure will work itself out,” she offered next and I looked closer at her, noticing the gray strands of hair nestled in her black ones. Wrinkles at the edges of her eyes spoke to her age and I at once felt comfortable with her maternal nature.
“Your words are very kind,” I said quietly, and she smiled gently.
“You should probably head back now. The king will have noticed that you were gone,” the woman suggested, and I nodded.
“Thank you,” I whispered, smiling gently in her direction. She was right.
Knowing that I had spirited away for some time, I left the restroom and followed Maria back into the dining hall. When I returned, the tables had been cleared aside of all the wineglasses and everyone was up on their feet, dancing the night away. Matteo was still seated at the table at the front of the room and he watched expectantly as I returned to him. He searched my face for something, and his jawline tensed. With an anxious swallow, I stepped up onto the stage and took his hand when he offered it.
“Grab your wine and I will take you dancing, my lovely little concubine,” he said softly, and I stiffened.
“I am not your whore,” I scoffed, unable to help myself.
“Behave yourself, baby girl,” he warned, as he lowered his hand along my back.
I knew what he was doing. He was trying to remind me of the plug in my bottom hole. He didn’t need to though. It had already reached the point where it not only felt heavy inside of me, but it was also was making my asshole start to ache.
